Aspergers/Re: Homework--

[Guest guest]

So, just because you see a child in one way

doesn't mean that it isn't a correct diagnosis.

Gee, I agree with you Dina and with you, . I do think autism

is sometimes over-used but also under-used; meaning that some doctors

diagnose it who don't really " get it " and the child might not be on

the spectrum and others dismiss it when it might fit because they

don't " get it " . Yep, like with OCD.

I think parents should read up a lot on autism or any other suspicion

(of a diagnosis) and just go with their gut/instincts. They raised

and live with the child 24/7. Now - had his " traits " that

would have " autism " flash through my mind but I felt he probably

didn't have enough traits for the diagnosis (which he did end up with

a HFA/Aspergers diagnosis); I thought he might get the PDD-NOS one

(meaning didn't fit all the criteria but shows traits). Anyway, so

long as I could look at his quirks/traits from the autism

perspective, it helped to know how to address them, whether he

had " enough " traits or not.

With his OCD, he has OCD definitely. But back when he was diagnosed

with Aspergers, the evaluators said I needed to look at his OCD as

part of his autism. Nope! His OCD is the... " classic " OCD and has

nothing to do with his autism side. Of course he might show a bit of

the obsessiveness or ritual needs that autism has but his

scrupulosity issues and his fear of something bad happening if he

didn't touch/do something were not part of the autism. -- My long

way of saying that many times the " experts " are only " expert " in

certain areas/diagnoses - they don't have enough knowledge in all

types of disabilities to diagnose or dismiss a diagnosis, so " second

opinions " should be sought if a parent has instincts towards a

problem.

If I'd had the $$ to evaluate privately, I'm sure that I would have

had another son, , diagnosed with some learning disability. I

strongly felt he had problems with reading (definitely spelling, LOL)

and comprehension or some type comprehension problem (heck, maybe

even just ADD, I don't know). The " cheap way " is to formally ask the

school to test a child. I had them test in elementary school

and then insisted again in middle school for a 3-year retest. SIGH!

He *just* passed their eval both times. For them it meant " no LD "

for me it meant " he made lucky guesses! " and/or " just passing "

indicates a problem.

The school system tested for me at my insistence in middle

school. While testing for *any* learning disability (LD), they

included any that might indicate autism. He passed all and their

autism specialist who observed him one day (won't comment on that)

said " no signs. " Well - I saw a couple indications in the test

results; plus their " autism specialist " works with kids that are

*more obviously* on the spectrum and aren't mainstreamed in school.

And most teachers saw no sign of OCD at school. I saw it and

's twin, , saw it a lot. The teachers just didn't

understand it.

Teachers never saw being picked on or made fun of indirectly

either.

LOL - okay I guess a " vent " of school memories and a " soapbox " today -

-- But, again, parents, read, learn, go with your instincts and if

school is a problem, learn your child's rights regarding help at

school; not all schools are willing and sometimes the personnel there

aren't trained well themselves, are just given the job, etc.